Toilet control apparatus for vehicles



Feb. 16,1932. I L. A. HURLBURT 1,345,277

TOILET CONTROL APPARATUS FOR vmucms Filed April 20. 1931 Jzzflezzfor 7 6651 .79; ifzzrZbzzrZ" M Jfitomgy Patented Feb. 16, 1932 LEW A. nonnnnnnor' runny, Iowa TOILET conrn-on Arena/earns non VEHICLES "Application, filed April 20, 1931; Serial No.' 531, 36Q.'

The object of my inventionisto provide a toilet control apparatus-forvehicles which is simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. f

I A further object of my inventionis to provide in connection with-the toilet stool of a vehicle, such as a train, a vault connected with the discharge pipe thereof, saidivault having a discharge valve associatedtherewith which is normally closed but which is adapted to be opened when the train, when inmotion, reaches a predetermined speed;

More particularly it is -myobject to provide in connection withthe vault a normally closed valve and to provide on the roof ofthe' railway car a vane which is pivoted and adapted to be acted upon "by air p-ressure caused by movement of thetrain, for opening the valve regardless of which direction the train is traveling. Thus a great convenience is overcome, inasmuch as railway cars as used today are provided 'withtoilets which must be locked when the car is within "the city limits to comply with the requirements of the board of health.

With these and otherrobjects in .viewnly invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby tliGO'bjGGtS'YGOIb templated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims-and illustrated in the accompanying draw ings', in which: 1

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional 'view through a portion of a railway car showing my toilet control apparatus associated there-c with. I

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2 2 of'Fignre 1 showing anelevation of a portion of theapparatusand as'ection of the lower part thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of p the lower part of Figure 2 showing a modified vided to prevent freezing {of the valve in closed position; and i a Figure 4 an enlarged elevation of a looking means, parts beingsh-own in section,the r locking means being provided for the valve construction in which aheating means is proof the vault, tolock it in eit position as'desired.

her open or closed On the accompanying drawings I: have I used the reference numeral 10 to indicate ties supporting a rail 12. A railway car is-indicated generally atA and includes a supporting wheel 14 which travels on the rail'12. The toilet compartmentof the railway car A is indicated at B- and the toilet stool thereof at 16. 1 1 e i e My toilet control apparatus involves the connection of a vault 18 with the discharge pipe 20 of the toilet stool 16'. The vault 18 may be'of any desired capacity and may be suitably'supported, for instance, byflanges 22 and brackets 24. I V

7 Itwill be noted that the vau-lt118 exte'ndsat arr-angle and. terminates in an enlarged portion at the right of Figurerl which is thelowermost portion of the vault. In the bottom of the enlarged portion I provide a valve seat 24 Whichmay be either formed of the materialof the vault or may be made separateas shown in Figure 2 forerenewal purposes;

For coaction with the valve seat 24: I provide a'valve member-'26 which may be ball shaped. as disclosed, or any 'other' desired "shape, and maybe formed of a ny suitable material. Extending. upwardly from the valve member :26 is a stein 28".which extends :slidablyethrough a packing nut 30 at thetop I of the enlarged portion of the vault 18.

The packing nut 30. is preferably detachable with respect :to the Vault 18,-andofsuflic'ient size to .allow' withdrawal of the valve member v2.6 through the'opening in thetop of the-enlarged' portion of the vault into which it ex-. (tends.

VThe stem 28 extends upwardly 'throughf it suitable flanges 32; and through "an opening 34in the floor 36 of the toilet compartment'B. It terminates in a head 38 located within a closed tube 401which is secured to an extension 42 of the stem 28. Theextension 42, extends slidably through: the roof 44. of the railway car A. v A. Pivotally supported in brackets 46 on the roof 44 is a rod 48 having a crank arm 50. e

. a link 52 with the sliding extension 42 A.

The crank arm. 50 isoperatively connected by j V I li vane 54 is arranged transversely ofthe railway car A and is secured to the rod 48 for roweight thereof and because of the weight of the stem 28. If found necessary, spring means can also be used for keeping the valve 26 in closedposition, or seated against the valve seat 24. When a train is traveling within the city limits, it seldom travels faster than twenty-five or thirty miles per nour. The parts can be proportioned and the spring just referred to can be made adjustable, if used, whereby the vane 54 will swing the rod 48 as shown in Figure 1 only after the train has reached a speed of thirty or thirty-five miles per hour. This speed can be regulated as desired by the size of the vane 54 and the weight of the parts comprising the valve structure.

A telescoping connection comprising the head 38 and the tube is provided so that the valve 26 can be opened independent of the action of the vane 54. It may then be locked in an open position by means of a T-shaped lock member 56 whichis pivoted at 58 to a bracket 60. The lock member 56 as shown in Figure 4 ,engages under a collar 62 on the stem 28 when the stem is placed in a raised position. The valve 26 can be locked in a closed position by swinging the lock 56 in an opposite direction while the valve is closed whereupon the lock will engage above the collar 64 on the stem 28.

A'la-tch knob 66 is provided on the lock 56 for actuating a slidable lug 68 which is adapted' to coact with any one of three recesses 70 in the bracket 60, for thus holding the lock 56in the desired position. As clearly illustrated on the drawings, the lock 56 can assume acentral, neutral position or a position for locking'the valve closed as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2,-or may assumea position for locking the valve 26 open as shown in Figure 4.

The lock56 is preferably positioned in a casing 72 which is provided with a door 74. The door 74 can beprovided with a suitable lock so that unauthorized access to the lock member 56 cannot be had'exceptby an employee of the railway company who has a lzey to open the door 74. i V

The purpose of the lock 56 is so that the valve 26 can be locked open for the purpose 7 of flushing out the vault 18 when the railway attendant cleans up the car or for locking the valve closedwhen desir'ed.

for heating the valve structure so that it will not freeze in cold weather, whereby it may always be operated in the automatic manner intend-- ed. A valve seat 24a is illustrated which has a heatingelement 74therein which can be eluded within their scope.-

stead of being arranged in the plug 24a, the

heating element 7 4 could be arranged within the valve 26'itself.

,Some changes may be made in the construcvtion and arrangement of the parts of my devicewithout departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably in- I claim as my invention: v

1. In a toilet control apparatus for vehicles, aivault connected with the discharge pipe of a toilet stool, said vault having a valve controlled discharge opening and vane means depending on air pressure created by the speed of the vehicle and operatively connectedwith said valve controlled discharge opening for opening'and closing it, the operative connection including a telescoping joint to permit operation of. the valve controlled W opening independent of said vane. V V

2. In a toilet control apparatus for vehicles, a. vault connected with the discharge pipe ofia toilet stool, said vault having a valvecontrolled; discharge opening, means depending on the. speedof the vehicle for opening and closingsaid .valve controlled discharge opening said means including a movable stem having a collar thereon and means for locking said valve in closed positioncomprising a movable member to form an obstruction for said collar and thereby prevent movement of said stem to open position. 3. In a toilet control apparatus for'vehicles, aivault connected with the discharge pipe'of atoilet stool, said vault having a valve controlled discharge opening. means depending on the speed'of the vehicle for,

opening and closing saidwalve controlled discharge opening, said means including a movable'stem having a collar thereon and :means for locking said valve in open position comprising a movable member to form; .an QbStIHCl71OI1 -fOI' said collar and thereby prevent movement of said stem to closed position. 4 a

4. In atoilet control apparatus for vehipipe'of a toilet stool said vault having a openingand closing said valve controlled cles, a vault connected with the discharge discharge opening, said means including a movable stem having a pair of collars thereon and means for locking said valve in closed and open posit ons comprising a movable member to form an obstruction for said'collars and thereby prevent movement of stem to open and closed positions.

5. In a toilet control apparatus for vehicles, a vault connected With the discharge pipe of a toilet stool, said vault having a valve controlled discharge opening including a movable valve member; a stem extending upwardly therefrom and a vane on the roof said of said vehicle operatively connected with said stem to open said valve when air pressure on said vane exceeds predetermined degree, said stein having a telescoping joint to permit operation of said stem independent of said vane. V

Des Moines, IoWa, April9, 1931.

LEW A; HURL'BURT. 

